Richard Joseph Brennan

Written by Eamonn Brennan

Read at Daddy's funeral

A Daidi Dilis (For Beloved Dad)

Trathnona mhaith a dhaoine uisle

Go raibh mile maith agaibh agus failte romaibh a soichrid ar N’athair, Risteard.

(Good afternoon everybody)

(Thank you all and welcome to the funeral of Our Father, Richard)

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” so begins a famous novel of literature by C. Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”. You could say our Dad’s life of 83 years has been a series of good and bad times, A Tale of Two Cities and of Two Countries. Certainly the last few weeks and months have been the worst of times for Our family and yet standing here today, I can truly say, this was a life well lived and we are here today to celebrate that life.

Our Dad was a good man; our Dad was a courageous man, a man of honor. He was loving, kind, generous and, of course being Irish…, a wee bit stubborn! He was also very funny, had a great sense of humor, could regale us with stories and deliver great jokes and ‘one liners’. Some of His jokes we heard over and over every Christmas and at every family occasion, yet we would all laugh, because even though we knew the punch lines, Dad had great delivery and timing. No-one was better!

He was genuinely funny…, a character you could say. In fact a few days before He passed, we were all gathered in His bedroom, telling stories, singing songs and praying. We had been there a while, when Dad turned in His bed and said “What does a man have to do to get a rest around here”!!... That was Dad! Our Dad lived a long full life. He loved His native homeland of Ireland. He was truly, “ Of Ireland.” He also loved His new homeland here in America and was extremely proud He became a US citizen earlier this year; following in the footsteps of millions of Irish Immigrants who made America their home and contributed over centuries to this great land because SHE had welcomed them and honored America’s commitment to the ideals of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all!

Our Dad embodied those ideals. He lived them as an Irishman, as an American and above all as a Great Dad! With courage, He left Ireland at the age of 64, stepping out into unknown territory. He became a successful businessman here, devoted himself to community and charitable work with SVDP, as He had also done in Ireland. In fact for His charitable work in Ireland Dad was appointed a ‘Peace Commissioner’ by the Irish Minister for Justice.

Our Dad was a man of His generation, but not a man bound by His generation’s differences of an earlier time, when technology was very different and the world a different place in thought and practice. He embraced the differences among all of us regardless of our race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, who we love or our religion. He embraced today’s modern world and marveled at advances made in so many ways. His curiosity was borne of His keen mind with an innate realization that having an open mind, an informed conscience and an open heart made Him a better Human Being.

I have shared the last twenty years of my life with my Dad and Mum, and Our family has over the past few weeks had the chance to care for Our Dad through hospital and hospice care. Along the way, we have encountered more than Our fair share of Angels. We have truly seen ‘the best of times and the worst of times’. Through it all, we have found Our Dad’s greatest gift to us all has been His abiding love for each of us and His grace and dignity. He showed us how to live… and,… He showed us how to die. It has been the greatest privilege of my life to have had the last twenty years and the last twenty days, as it has been for us all. Thank You Dad! Go raibh mile maith agat a Daidi.

“Is fada an bothar mbionn casadh ann.” (It is a long road that has no turning). Our Dad has travelled His long road and He has taken His Final turn Home. Home to a better and more perfect place, to be with His Heavenly Family. “Death leaves a heart ache no one can heal, Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”

“It is a far far better thing that I do than I have ever done. It is a far far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”

Slan go foil a Daidi dilis agus Dia dhuit I gconai (bye for now beloved Dad and God be with you always)

Go raibh mile maith agaibh. (Thank you all very much)

OBITUARY 2: BIOGRAPHY

Richard Joseph Brennan, 83, of Acworth, GA died Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 after a short and courageous battle with Leukemia surrounded by family in the warmth and comfort of his home. He was born on October 12th, 1929 in Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland to Catherine and Michael Brennan. Richard was the fourth youngest of nine children.

Richard attended Synge Street Boy's School and St. Mary's Secondary School in Dublin, Ireland. He was a very generous and giving man who was a peace commissioner appointed by the Irish Minister of Justice. Richard had a great love of music, he was an Irish tenor, a Eucharistic Minister at St. Catherines and member of the Knights of Columbus. He will be remembered for his love of family above all; his volunteer work in Ireland and with St. Catherine's Chapter of St. Vincent dePaul Society for many years. Richard was very proud that he became a US citizen on March 11th, 2013. He was a man with a deep and abiding faith in God, Country and his fellow man and woman.

Richard was preceded in death by his siblings Michael, John, Kevin and Evelyn.

Survivors:

Wife - Maire Brennan of Acworth, Ga

3 sons - Bernard Brennan of Fort Collins, Co; Eamonn Brennan of Acworth, Ga; Richard Brennan of Anderson, SC

4 daughters - Yvonne Crist of Athens, Oh; Paula Fay of Dublin, Ireland; Catherine Wrightstone of Harrisburg, Pa; Sinead Coll of Brighouse, Yorkshire, England.

4 sisters - Kathleen Cullen, Lena Dolan, Joan Kenny all of Dublin, Ireland; Ann Hamilton of London, Ontario, Canada.

20 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren

Daddy, we love you so much and we will miss you terribly! You have taught us to live our lives with honesty, integrity, compassion, and to always keep an open mind and heart. Judging others only on the content of their character. Slan go foill le Daidi Dilis! (Bye for now beloved Daddy)

Family will receive friends on Sunday, June 16, 2013 from 4 until 7pm with a rosary held at 6:30pm at Wikenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home in Kennesaw, Ga, www.winkenhoferpineridgefuneralhome.com

A funeral mass will be held at 11:30am on Tuesday June 18th, 2013 at St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church. Fr. Jose Kochuparampil will be officiating. Interment at Pine Ridge Memorial Park.

Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam (God bless you)

Slan go foil a Daidi dilis agus Dia dhuit I gconai (bye for now beloved Dad and God be with you always)

Go raibh mile maith agaibh. (Thank you all very much)